Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu has rallied behind rookie driver Oliver Bearman after his high-speed crash at the Japanese Grand Prix, urging the young Brit to keep perspective following a bruising setback in an otherwise impressive start to his Formula 1 career.
Bearman’s race at Suzuka ended in dramatic fashion when he veered off course at high speed while closing rapidly on Franco Colapinto on the approach to Spoon Corner.
The mechanics of the crash were a terrifying byproduct of Formula 1’s 2026 regulations. Bearman encountered Franco Colapinto’s Alpine with a massive 45km/h speed delta – a closing speed that turned a standard overtake into a high-stakes gamble.
The resulting 50G impact with the barriers left the Haas driver shaken and nursing a right knee contusion – but more significantly, visibly frustrated with himself.
Komatsu steps in
For Komatsu, the immediate focus wasn’t on the twisted carbon fiber, but on the psychological recovery of the driver who has helped transform Haas into a genuine force, sitting fourth in the Constructors’ Championship.
“He's just very, very disappointed in himself,” the Haas chef commented. “Again, that's the good thing about Ollie, if you like: he's not making any excuses, he was really beating himself up.
“So I said, ‘Look, you know, you've done some amazing races, you got us 17 points out of two race weekends’.”
Here’s the moment Bearman went into the barriers at Spoon #F1 #JapaneseGP pic.twitter.com/XmurXApWkp
— Formula 1 (@F1) March 29, 2026
Those early-season heroics – including a standout fifth-place finish in China – have been instrumental in Haas climbing to fourth in the constructors’ standings, with Bearman responsible for the lion’s share of the team’s points haul.
While the crash in Japan cost valuable points, Komatsu emphasized the collective nature of the sport.
“So, okay, his accident cost us points today, but as the old saying [goes], we win and lose together,” he added.
“And then I said, ‘Look, you've done so many good things. Yes, today didn't go very well, but there's no point beating yourself up, you know, we just got to get up from here’. And then he said, ‘Yeah, but there's no excuse, this is a speed delta’.
“Look, he's hard on himself, which is good. But sometimes if you are too hard on yourself, it's not. But I'm sure he will bounce back, we'll bounce back. We do it together. That's the most important thing.”
‘Not even an error’
Komatsu also moved to contextualize the incident, pointing to the unusual circumstances that contributed to the crash rather than placing blame squarely on his driver.
“Of course, he's kicking himself, he's saying like, ‘I should have done better, no excuse’. But, you know, you look at it, that 50km/h difference in closing speed is massive,” the Japanese pointed out.
The Haas boss suggested that the situation Bearman encountered was both extreme and unfamiliar –particularly under the sport’s evolving regulations.
Asked whether it was a case of driver error, Komatsu was quick to push back.
“‘Error’ is a big strong word, to be honest,” he said. “You could say ‘small misjudgement’, but it's scary though, that closing speed. When I look on the GPS lap before, it's totally understandable and the correct decision to go for it there, but it's just huge.
“This is only the third race in this regulation, so that's something he's never experienced. So I don't even call it ‘error’, you know.”
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For Haas, the focus now shifts to recovery – not just in terms of points, but mindset.
And if Komatsu’s words are anything to go by, Bearman will have the full backing of his team as he looks to rebound from one of the toughest moments of his young F1 career.
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